A wide variety of over-the-counter products are available for skin cleansing and moisturizing which are addressed to anything from relieving dry skin to allegedly removing wrinkles. Many of these products claim to be hypoallergenic and non-irritating to most users, however, these products nonetheless contain ingredients that can be irritating or even harmful to individuals who, for some reason, have become highly sensitized to certain chemicals in the skin care products.
A large part of the group which possesses this extreme sensitivity is made up of individuals with illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, anorexia and other eating disorders, and individuals who are undergoing hormone treatment. For cancer and AIDS patients who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment, or who are receiving other intensive treatments, some of the side effects of these treatments are extremely dry skin, poor and uneven skin tone, and increased sensitivity to certain chemicals which might be contained in most skin care compositions. For individuals with eating disorders, poor nutrition and chemical changes in the body result in, among other things, very dry skin and poor skin tone.
An individual's skin reflects their emotional state of mind as well as their physical condition. In recent years it has been observed that the psychological well-being of an individual who is undergoing treatment for a life threatening illness is an important factor in their recovery. Improvement of the individual's feeling of self-worth and ability to fit in and feel comfortable being with other people can all help in boosting their sense of well-being. However, while it would be desirable to attempt to make the person feel good about themselves by providing skin care products and cosmetics to counter the skin drying and damage which affects their appearance, the products currently on the market may actually exacerbate the individual's low esteem by causing an irritating reaction which emphasizes the distorted self-image that the individual is different and that the difference is obvious to anyone who sees the individual.